Robert Barron | – Bishop Barron’s Spiritual Lesson While Hunkering Down

A brief spiritual lesson while we all hunker down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About The Author

Bishop Robert Barron These are brief and insightful commentaries on faith and culture by Catholic theologian and author Bishop Robert Barron. The videos complement his weekly sermons posted and podcasted at WordOnFire.org.

Comment (44)

  1. Fr Robert Barron,
    You are wise & I'm thankful for your insight & videos. Remember it's not just the U.S that's going through this crisis – the whole world is suffering. We're all in the same boat. I think we can all learn humility & solidarity with each other & all who suffer…

  2. Permit me to disagree. I am totally dissatisfied with all this “god's will” talk. In my experience, misery is the only promise life keeps for so many people.

    In the alternative, let’s talk about what we are. We are evolved creatures and we continue to adapt. What we share with the entire biosphere is that we adapt unconsciously, usually by natural selection. But there is another component, conscious adaptation, that we exhibit, and may share with some other species. It is the ability to use whatever intelligence we have to modify ourselves and our environment in response to an observed environmental stress. Call it the noosphere if you wish. It is yet another tool in our evolutionary toolbox that allows us to make our lives just a little less miserable. And so it will be again.

    This is testable and knowable – even if incrementally so. Conclusions based on teleology are not.

    I have no interest in god’s will. Neither you nor I know what it is and we have no empirical way of finding out. If it pleases you to guess, by all means, do so. But I won’t be joining you.

  3. I totally agree with firstmdes regarding your morning Masses. The spirituality they bring to my day can't be overstated. I am one of the "high-risk" population, and I try to attend daily Mass in person at my parish, but there are many times when illness prevents me from daily participation in the Mass. Your YouTube Masses are a godsend and I profoundly thank you for them.

  4. This time calls for us to be creative as well. There are numerous ways the faithful could receive communion and be safe. Seems it was to much of a hassle. I think it’s tragic. I’m staying home I know this is serious, but provisions should have been made. Until the church thinks it’s worth it, I will continue to stay at home and pray.

  5. Bishop Barron thank you for your morning masses. It feels wonderful to be able to have this available in my life. For me having all this time on my hands has now allowed me to hear more, see more and do more with my faith. I truly believe that God is asking us to slow down and give him more time in our life. And I'm loving it. So appreciative of all you do for Gods people.
    May God bless you always❤

  6. Thank you Bishop. This has already reminded me of the profound difference between this invisible enemy that indeed can take out our bodies and the other invisible enemy, the devil, who seeks to take out our souls. I need to pay more attention to THAT invisible enemy, the devil!

  7. Might be a good idea to do Penance and beg God to stop this Pestilence. We've certainly done enough to deserve it. Nobody wants to talk about abortion or homosexuality or indifference or turning away from God altogether. A precession might be in order. Its not like we haven't been here before. Perhaps we should look to people like Pope Gregory the Great. He would probably say that God is trying to tell us something. Figure out how to get to a confession, pray the Rosary, Fast. Penance people, penance.

  8. @Bishop Barron I have watched several of your videos and I think you bring a reasonable and balanced approach to most topics. I am Catholic and have been struggling in recent years to hang onto my faith amidst all the scandal and infighting among clerics and self appointed lay leaders. You among some others give me hope for our church amidst all the Taylor Marshals and Michael Voris types and their followers who condemn all who disagree with them about many things. They implicitly project and promote hatred toward all who don't want to jump on their "fundamentalist" trad bandwagon. Nothing wrong with communion in the hand, I think Jesus can handle himself. At the last supper I imagine that the bread was torn to hunks and passed to the apostles in their hands not on their tongues. Tradition is constantly evolving and changing. There was no tradition of communion on the tongue in the early church as of course you are aware. If the trads are so hung up on "tradition" then it would behoove them to consider the fact that communion in the hand was normal for most during the first 900 years of the church. Thanks…..

  9. Thanks Fr.

    For me the greater good that will come out of this is: less dependence in china (India) for manufacturing, china pays the world trillions, Jack Ma becomes president and makes china a true democracy, freeing the catholic church there. They will also not eat too exotic foods like bats (eaten by the rich chinese which is the source of all three pandemics: SARS, Bird Flu and COVID-19. This'll end communism in china. Mother Mary is a great intercessor- keep praying the rosary.

    God bless, Proverbs 31

  10. Thank you from my heart for your closeness to all of us who look to you so often for guidance. I, for one, will certainly love THIS will of God for us now! And will continue to pray, meditate and contemplate what might be that intention of God. It is a gift, and a very personal one, no doubt!

  11. Sello de Protección

     

    El Sello del Dios Vivo

    Libro del Apocalipsis 7:1-7 

    "Después de esto vi a cuatro ángeles en pie sobre los cuatro ángulos de la tierra, que detenían los cuatro vientos de la tierra, para que no soplase viento alguno sobre la tierra, ni sobre el mar, ni sobre ningún árbol. Vi también a otro ángel que subía de donde sale el sol, y tenía el sello del Dios vivo; y clamó a gran voz a los cuatro ángeles, a quienes se les había dado el poder de hacer daño a la tierra y al mar, diciendo: No hagáis daño a la tierra, ni al mar, ni a los árboles, hasta que hayamos sellado en sus frentes a los siervos de nuestro Dios.” 

    El Sello que aparece en la portada de este libro fue creado como resultado de un mensaje divino revelado por Dios Padre y recibido por María Divina Misericordia a las 00:20 hrs. del 20 de febrero de 2012. En dónde Dios le dice a ella que Él estaba dando al mundo el "Sello del Dios Vivo" para proteger del anticristo a todos. 

      

    Fragmento de este mensaje: 

    Hija Mía dile a todos Mis hijos que no me gusta el pensamiento de castigar a Mis hijos, porque los amo. 

    Son míos, Mi querida creación. Ver cómo el maligno ha corrompido sus almas es un constante tormento para Mí, su amado Padre. 

    Deseo llevarme a todos ustedes, amorosos hijos, que saben y entienden Mi amor por ustedes, a Mi hermoso Nuevo Paraíso en la Tierra. 

    Les prometo, que la persecución será rápida y que estarán protegidos. 

    Pues ahora les lego el Sello de Mi Amor y Protección. 

    Con esto, escaparán de la atención de aquellos que causarán disturbios en sus países. 

    Mi Sello es Mi promesa de Salvación. Mi Poder aumentará rápidamente por ustedes, con este Sello, y ningún daño vendrá a ustedes. 

    Este es un milagro, hijos y sólo aquellos que se postran ante Mí, su Señor y Creador de todas las cosas, como niños pequeños  con amor en sus corazones, pueden ser bendecidos con este Divino Regalo 

    Levántense ahora, y acepten Mi Sello, el Sello del Dios Vivo. 

    Reciten esta Cruzada de Oración (33) para reconocer Mi Sello y aceptarlo con amor, alegría y gratitud. 

    “Oh Dios Mío, mi Padre amoroso,  yo acepto con amor y gratitud  Tu Sello Divino de Protección 

    Tu Divinidad abarca mi cuerpo y alma por la eternidad. Me inclino en humilde acción de gracias y te ofrezco mi profundo amor y lealtad  a Ti, mi amado Padre. 

    Te suplico que me protejas a mí y a mis seres queridos con este Sello especial  y comprometo mi vida a Tu servicio por los siglos de los siglos. Te amo querido Padre. Te consuelo en estos momentos, querido Padre. Te ofrezco el Cuerpo, la Sangre, el Alma, y la Divinidad de Tu amadísimo Hijo en expiación por los pecados del mundo y por la salvación de todos Tus hijos.  Amén.” 

    Vayan, hijos Míos y no teman. Confíen en Mí, su amado Padre, Quien amorosamente los creó a cada uno de ustedes. Yo conozco cada una de las almas, cada parte suya es conocida por Mí. Ninguno de ustedes es amado menos que el otro. Debido a esto no quiero perder un alma. Ni una. 

    Por favor continúen rezando Mi Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia todos los días. Un día entenderán por qué esta purificación es necesaria. 

    Su amoroso Padre en el Cielo Dios Altísimo

  12. Dear Bishop Barron, thank you. This is in fact a time of grace and mercy, of different proximity, closer prayer and of climbing the mountain of holliness. From Fátima, we are so near, in the comunity of saints. Thanks for your example of obedience and calmness.

  13. Thank you Bishop Barron. I believe this event is from God. In the beginning I prayed “God please save us”. Then images of events in 2019 appeared before my eyes. Riots, fighting with authorities, destroying cities, quarrelled between political parties, trade dispute, North Korea threats, Iran threats. Everything out of order. Then when covid-19 hit, everyone stopped. It’s like God is saying “Watch Me!!! Now tell me if you want die fighting or fight to live”. God is bringing back things to order and it is now depend on us to fight this pandemic together. If we pulled through this will shift us to be more mindful and resilient.

  14. I was born and raised Catholic but stopped attending mass at about age 18. The pedophile scandal played a big part… it was not the priests w the aberrant sexual behavior that bothered me… there are people with mental illness in every walk of life… it was the Catholic authorities covering up that I could not accept. My sister had a conversion at about the age 17… she had been a very troubled adolescent… her conversion was real and at 60 she remains a devout Catholic and is the one who referred me to you. Shortly after her conversion she had a Catholic priest pretty high up in the Philly Catholic hierarchy who was her spiritual advisor. It turned out that he and a deacon were also molesting many of the adult Catholics that they were advising. That also devastated my own shaky faith. It did nothing to my sisters. She forgave( was not molested herself) and continued her faith. I could never understand her devotion. The church seemed so flawed. I found the teachings of Buddha and also Tsu to be beautiful… and for many years considered myself a Taoist and to a certain extent still do. I am an ER doctor and thru the Grace of God and Jesus I saw this Covid-19 coming… and the lack of PPE… I saw the lack of urgency most in my profession and all Administrators exhibited. I warned all I could on Facebook and prepared my family. I was fired from my job on Nov 7 one week before the first Covid case in China… I of course did not know of Covid then. I am a good ER doc and was fired because in doing what I felt truly in my heart was best for my patient I angered the patient( an opiate use issue) My admin fired me without even discussing it w me or doing any peer review… literally 36 hours after I discharged the patient. I could not understand why this was happening. The result was after 25 solid years of EM practice and being part owner of one for10 years I now only had a Per Diem position, I can work as much or as little as I want to. When I saw how Admin and CDC had left all of us exposed to a life threatening disease… I looked at my life. At 53 with HTN my risk is higher than average… as a front line worker my risk is tripled on top of that. I have a 5 year old daughter and a 54 year old wife and we have no other family for 2000 miles. I decided when my shifts end March 31 I will no longer work ER. I will make far less money doing Telemed. I had begun reading the Bible again and for the first time it spoke to me! It suddenly made incredible sense! My sisters explanation that it matters not even if the pope himself was corrupt… the Catholic Church is at heart the individuals relationship with God! As long as ONE Catholic remains devout and true the Church survives! I had a true Conversion! I have done your mass every day since March 16… prayed the rosary many days…. I did an act of Contrition and checked by phone w my local priest who gave me the OK to receive Communion at this unusual time given that I had made a true act of Contrition and have not committed any Mortal sin. Since I did that I have received the Spiritual Host during your daily video mass. I read the mass on Magnificat and then listen to yours! I love your mass. I am trying to be the Tax Collector and have been humbled to realize how much I have sinned and how gracious God is in that He has never left my side! I know I will continue to sin despite my best efforts but like the blind man… NOW I SEE! So many things that were casual behaviors of mine I see as sins. I was wealthy I am strong and have several talents and a beautiful wife and daughter and wonderful friends… but something was missing. Obviously it was my Faith. I will continue Confession, Communion and do my best to be an example for my family. I think the second Mass I watched was on St Joseph… it reassured me that although I could do great good on the front lines as an ER doc… my true calling is to be a father and husband. My wife and young daughter need my strength and protection in these terrible times. I believe the world has become ever more diabolical. I believe the tech industry has embraced Transhumanism which is the work of the devil, I believe many tech leaders want to merge with AI they the neural link chips Elon Musk is developing in an attempt to achieve immortality and be like gods. Some have literally admitted this in Davos meetings. I believe the virus will shake the world to its roots and many will regain Faith in God. God Bless you Bishop Barron! Two of my sisters 6 boys have become Franciscan Friars and have been a great example for their uncle.

  15. Bishop Barron: Thank you for the introduction to Jean Pierre de Caussade.  (Funny note: Automatic closed captioning really struggles with putting the sound of "Jean Pierre de Caussade" into written English.)  De Caussade's expression of Divine Will resonates with me. I have never reconciled my firm belief in free will with the notion of God as a kind of puppeteer who makes each of us do something that he wants.  I am more comfortable with the idea that a person acts of his or her own will but those acts only have true value, meaning, and purpose as measured by God.  The idea that each person can assign his own value, meaning or purpose to his life or his actions is like saying that I can assign my own meaning to the sounds that come out of my mouth or the keystrokes I make on this keyboard with my fingers. Our utterances and youtube comments only have meaning if there is something outside ourselves that defines those vibrations in the air or the images projected on our screens.  If each person chooses his own meanings, then what we say or do is meaningless, and is much like automatic closed captioning.  Someone else could read these characters and interpret it to mean that the Pittsburgh Pirates are having a great spring training in Bradenton.  Anyway, I guess it's obvious that I have some extra time on my hands, but you've challenged us to do some deep thinking, so here it is!  I am reading Boccaccio's Decameron, which I highly recommend to everyone for some quick short stories and a reminder that those who've gone before us have been through this before and they learned that camaraderie and imagination make the experience worthwhile.

  16. Dear Bishop Barron, I am so thankful for your Mass broadcasts that we can access at any time. They are so helpful spiritually to me as we cannot receive Our Lord sacramentally, but because of you we may receive Him spiritually. May God bless you for the work you do.

  17. Thank you, Bishop Barron, for this lesson on the current COVID-19 pandemic. I have been thinking the same thing because the bottom line is that this is out of our immediate control but God is definitely in charge in this situation.

  18. I agree, there is always personal lessons that can be learnt in times like this that are very unique to ourselves that won't make much sense to the wider audience, God in his infinite wisdom and love can open our eyes to the depth of this understanding

    I also feel that there is a wider lesson for all of us, just look at how this virus has pretty much brought the world to a standstill. Look at the divided politics people have had that it's almost become like a sport between two rivalling teams. Look at the behaviour people have shown in these times where they have emptied shelves looking at their own survival. Also look at how people feel in their own company. Overall I see that we have been humbled by our disobedience and arrogance as a whole as a species, we see just how insignificant we really are. Politicians who fought against each other will be forced to work together where allegiance to a party will be put to one side, people can choose to be greedy but through those actions in reflection we see the deeds of those who are now going out of their way to help and take care of those in more need. Lastly, we are forced through our isolation to potentially look towards God and have a deep experience through that connection, we can use our God given resources and abilities to discover what we were really made for. Either way God is making us realise that in times like this he is the only refuge as the Psalm 46:10 says, Be still and know that I am God.

    I pray 5 rosaries a day and ask for intercession from, Padre Pio, Arch Angel Michael, Our blessed Lady for the cure or vaccine that will take the sting from this. Of course this will most likely come from God illuminating a human mind and I pray for God to be glorified because of this. Maybe an outright miracle will occur where this virus will just miraculously disappear from the face of the earth but my gut feeling is we will have to endure it in the short term to learn many important lessons first then our miracle will come.

  19. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.. for your daily masses! I pray that they will continue beyond the Covid-19 crisis. They have been such an incredible blessing! (I work at a large hospital and plan to view them on my breaks)

  20. I PRAY THIS UPLIFTS ALL WHO THESE LINES + VERY WONDERFUL, UPLIFTING WORDS FROM OUR LORD JESUS GIVEN TO GABRIELLE BOSSIS IN THE AWESOME BOOK: HE ANDI + and I pray others will share this to uplift them, also.
    Thanks and God bless and love you and all dear to your heart.

    FROM AWESOME HE AND I:

    1943: THE LORD TO GABRIELLE:

    {…} "If you have failed in something, you say, 'My dear All, I could have been more faithful today. Forgive me. And you humble yourself most sincerely. And without knowing it, I press you to My Heart burning with love. That is what you call grace, and My grace is sufficient for you. Do you believe that?

    This should be your one fixed desire: To live only for Me. Your life will be filled to brim with good things. I've been waiting so long for the joy of giving you more. Help Me. Ask Me to do so. Stretch out your two empty hands to Me. Give Me a big place in your life. Give Me all of it. Do you realize that you are in exile, waiting for the return of the Beloved?

    Listen from afar. Say to Him, 'Breathe on this breath of mine which is Yours. Your home shall be my home. I could no longer live without Your step in mine and Your voice in my voice.

    Don't people pray, 'Open Thou my lips'? That's so that the Spirit will speak in you, children of God."

  21. Thanks Bishop Barron for all you do for our Catholic Faith, I just became a member of Word on Fire Institute and got my Journals today plus your book also so much to take in but with the Holy Spirit’s guidance I will succeed. The best money i have ever spent. God Bless

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